One of Team VOOM’s youngest athletes Libbie Joyce recently competed at the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) European Champs in Tata, Hungary. Libbie qualified for the short-course event, 3km distance with 20+ obstacles, finishing an impressive 6th in u18 class. We're delighted to share the story in Libbie's own words.
"This year has gone so well and better than I expected it would, this year I decided I was going to step up to Elite in Spartan races across the UK, the reason for this is I wanted to race against the best and gain that experience to become an elite and hoping it will help me push myself."
How did your first Spartan race go?
My first Spartan race in May went so well and I didn't come last, my favourite spartan race distance is beast, 13miles and my least is a sprint, 3miles, with me doing so well my mom treated me to Spartan Zandvoot in Netherlands to have a go at a European Race.
My coach Jack wanted me to have a go at the Sprint which was a Spartan Elite European Series race and on a beach, totally different to what i am use to racing on. This is 4 races across Europe and if you come top 10 you qualify for the new Spartan 3k race final in Madrid in October 2023.
The race just went so well and learned i could push myself against the top European athletes and came in 9th, qualifying me for the Madrid final, I went out never expecting to qualify.
Sadly I can't do the final in Madrid because i'm in America doing OCRWC, so gutted I have had to turn down my place for this race.
In July I took my first Spartan elite podium coming 3rd in the beast race at Belvoir Castle, I have been so lucky and given the chance to go over to Hungary in August to compete in the next European Series race in VAC.
I was super excited to see how I would do and to see if Zandvoot was a lucky race. We got there and the race looked so hard and most of it was in the town of Vac on concrete paths, which I am use to running on grass and mud, there was some grass trails and a little bit of mud, the sand bag carry was through a lake and lots of steps of running up. When looking at the athletes on the start line I knew this was going to be a fast start and we went off with the men too!
Controlling my pace and not blowing myself out trying to keep up was going to be the hardest thing and YEP it was mega fast. The race I listen to my body and managed to keep with the middle pack and finished the race with full completion, and came 8th female, so happy and to feel that my training is working and all the hard work is worth it.
All my other races have gone well and if they haven't I have learned from them and British Obstacle Sports have picked me for the 3k Elite squad for the first ever FISO OCR World Championships in Belgium in September.
How did Voom help you?
Voom has played a big part in my races this year and helped me achieved goals i never expected to get, I always carry a Green Pocket Rocket when racing and beetroot & Dark Chocolate which I like to nibble on it when racing. I always use hydrate smart formula in my water a couple of days before my race and a few days after.
What have you got lined up next?
The next few months are crazy and very exciting, September I will be going to the FISO OCR World Championships, October I will be heading to America for the OCR World Championships at Mammoth Lakes, super excited for this championships because I love running on a mountain and this Ski resort is meant to be epic and its higher than Lake Tahoe. Then in November I will doing the Spartan Trifecta World Championships in Greece.
Thank you to everyone who supports me because without the support I wouldn't be where I am today.
